Souls Through Time (EzioxOC/DesmondxOC)

Chapter 45 - Claire

September 13th 2012, 3:00 pm

Later that afternoon, Claire lay sprawled across the bed in the quiet safe house, her bruised face resting against the cool relief of an ice pack. The dull ache from her split lip and throbbing cheek was a grounding reminder of the morning's brutal confrontation. The bed beneath her felt soft, the quiet of the room almost comforting, and as she lay there, she drifted in and out of a half-sleep, letting the exhaustion of the day finally pull her under.

The warehouse hummed around her with the quiet sounds of her team moving about—Shaun's muttered commentary as he tapped at his laptop, Rebecca tinkering with a piece of equipment, and Desmond's footsteps pacing in the far corner. It was strangely soothing, the low hum of voices and machinery lulling her in and out of a light sleep, the pain on her cheek a dull throb beneath the cool press of the ice.

A few footsteps grew closer, quieter. She opened her eyes slightly, catching the sight of Lucy approaching, her expression a mixture of reluctance and something that almost looked like regret. Claire felt her muscles tense, her grip on the ice pack tightening as Lucy came to a stop beside the bed, her hands twisting together as if she wasn't entirely sure how to begin.

"Claire," Lucy started, her voice low, barely audible over the background noise. "Can I... I'd like to talk."

Claire took a deep breath, bracing herself, and propped herself up slightly against the headboard, removing the ice pack and setting it aside. She watched Lucy with a wary gaze, waiting for her to continue, her jaw still aching from the earlier blow.

Lucy swallowed, her gaze dropping to the floor before flicking back up to meet Claire's. "I just... I'm sorry. For what happened earlier. I shouldn't have... things got out of control. And that's on me."

For a moment, Claire was silent, processing the words, the apology she hadn't quite expected. Her gaze hardened, memories of Abstergo and years of betrayal still fresh and raw in her mind. She struggled to keep her voice steady as she replied, "It's hard to ignore everything that's happened, Lucy. It's hard to look past what you did back there, and what you didn't do."

Lucy's shoulders sagged, her expression twisting with a hint of guilt. "I know. I know I made mistakes, and I can't change what happened. But I'm trying... I'm trying to make it right, to be someone who—" She hesitated, her voice dropping to a near whisper. "Someone you all can trust."

Claire's eyes narrowed, the remnants of hurt and anger simmering beneath the surface. "Trust? You put a gun to my head, Lucy. After everything we went through... you pulled a gun on me."

Lucy flinched, her eyes darkening as though the weight of her own actions finally hit her. "I don't expect you to understand, and I don't expect forgiveness. I just... I wanted you to know I'm sorry. And that I'll try to keep my emotions in check moving forward." Her gaze softened, a flicker of vulnerability showing through her otherwise steely resolve—a plea buried deep within the depths of her blue eyes. "For what it's worth, Claire, I'm trying."

Claire exhaled slowly, feeling the exhaustion from the day settle over her like a thick, suffocating blanket. She let her head rest against the pillows, her muscles finally surrendering to the pull of weariness. Lucy's words, though well-meaning, felt like a thin patch over a fracture too deep to be fixed by simple apologies. The cracks remained, sharp and jagged beneath the surface, and the memory of Lucy pulling a gun on her was too raw to dismiss so easily. Still, Claire felt the weight of anger easing just a fraction. She didn't want to keep holding onto it, didn't want to carry the resentment any longer. She managed a small, tired nod, her voice barely more than a whisper as she replied, "Fine. I hear you, Lucy. Just... give me time."